1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to a mounting system for an in-ground basketball system and, more particularly, to a flanged ground sleeve that receives in overlapping relationship an end of a flanged pole, and which may incorporate a mechanical device to facilitate removal of the pole from the ground sleeve.
2. Related Art
In-ground basketball systems are usually permanently mounted in the ground adjacent a playing surface, such as a driveway. Traditionally, a basketball system includes a pole supporting a backboard and a goal. To rigidly support the basketball system in a upright position, in the past, a hole was formed in the ground, filled with concrete and one end of the pole, was sunk directly in the concrete and the concrete was allowed to set. Then, the backboard and goal would be assembled on the top end of the pole. Once the concrete has set, the pole is essentially permanently mounted and, effectively, cannot be removed short of digging up the ground and breaking the concrete slug off of the end of the pole.
However, it may be desirable or necessary to remove the pole from the ground after installation for purposes of maintenance, convenience, storage, relocation and/or security. Removability is particularly important for heavy duty and/or high performance basketball systems because consumers are more likely to want to move these more expensive systems.
One approach that has been used to provide basketball pole removability is known as an anchor bolt style footing. In one such known footing, the anchor includes a stem with a flat square plate including bolt openings disposed on one end of the stem. The stem is set in the concrete so that the flat plate provides a flat mounting surface for a pole of the type having a square flat plate at its lowermost end. The pole flat plate has bolt openings alignable with the bolt openings in the anchor. The pole plate is aligned on the anchor plate; and nuts and bolts are used to secure the two flat plates together. This manner of mounting a basketball pole, however, is difficult because it: is susceptible to tipping over if the bolts break or the nuts are loosened/removed; and is difficult, if not impossible, to remove the pole once the bolts, nuts and flange seize over time due to corrosion and exposure to the elements.
Another approach that has been used to removably mount an in-ground basketball system is through the use of a ground sleeve. A ground sleeve is generally an elongated tubular member having an open end and a closed end, which is often in the form of a cap or cover. During installation, the ground sleeve is positioned in the fresh concrete with the open end exposed to receive the end of a conventional basketball pole that would otherwise have been sunk directly in the concrete. The pole is received in the open end of the ground sleeve. The size of the ground sleeve is usually somewhat larger than the size of the pole to accommodate manufacturing tolerances and variations in size, and to facilitate assembly on location. Accordingly, once the pole is disposed in the ground sleeve, it is loose and the pole must be secured fixedly in the ground sleeve so that the pole will not tilt or rotate.
In one known ground sleeve, a locking tab is used to secure the pole and ground sleeve together. The locking tab is inserted in the gap between the pole and the ground sleeve and a bolt is threaded through the tab perpendicular to the tab and the pole. When the bolt is tightened, the end of the bolt presses against the side of the pole causing the pole to be tightened in the ground sleeve. However, the gap between the pole and the ground sleeve remains open at the open end of the ground sleeve allowing rain and debris to enter and collect between the inside of the ground sleeve and the pole. Over time, this exposure to the weather may cause the pole and ground sleeve to corrode and seize making pole removal difficult if not impossible.
A better way of securing a ground sleeve and pole together is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,571,229 to Fitzsimmons et al., assigned to the assignee of this application. Fitzsimmons et al. '229 discloses a ground sleeve having a deformable end that is secured to the pole by screwing a cap on the deformable end of the ground sleeve to form a collet having an adjustable opening for engaging the pole. The ground sleeve and cap are formed of a corrosion resistant material and the cap helps protect the ground sleeve and the end of the pole from the elements, thereby facilitating removal of the pole even after a long passage of time.
Another known ground sleeve mounting system includes a flat square flange plate covering its open end to form a flat mounting surface. The basketball pole has another flat square flange plate covering its outermost end. The flanges are approximately 12 inches by 12 inches. During installation, the pole plate is disposed on the ground sleeve plate and the plates are clamped together by nuts and bolts. This construction is susceptible to tipping over during installation, or if the bolts break or the nuts are loosened/removed. Moreover, due to exposure to the elements, the bolts, nuts and flanges may corrode and attach together making removal of the pole difficult if not impossible.
Mounting systems for supporting a pole in the ground in non-basketball environments often are overly complicated or cumbersome, are not designed to facilitate removal, and often require the use of an intermediate sleeve. One type of pole stand is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,337,989 to Apple. The Apple '989 patent discloses a cylindrical two-piece pole stand assembly where two internal pivots arms are engaged upon insertion of the pole to lock the two pieces together. In particular, a tubular insert is disposed in a ground sleeve until a collar on the tubular insert comes to rest on a collar on the ground sleeve. The insertion of a pole (not shown) into the tubular insert causes pivot arms on the interior of tubular insert to engage the collar on ground sleeve, thereby locking the tubular insert and ground sleeve together. This device requires not only the use of a tubular sleeve in addition to the pole, but also requires the pole to lock the tubular sleeve to the ground sleeve. Although not shown, the pole would finally come to rest on the bottom of the ground sleeve. Moreover, the ground sleeve has a drainage hole which exposes the interior of the sleeve and the pole to the elements.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,612,287 to Maltese, a tubular upright support member for floor display fixtures is inserted into a tapered floor plug through the use of a tapered tubular adapter. To vary the height of the support member, a locknut is variably positioned on a threaded end of the support member. Then, the threaded end of the support member is threaded into the adapter, and the tapered end of the adapter is wedged into the floor plug. The support member and the adapter are not otherwise secured into the floor plug. Similar, to Apple '989, the Maltese '287 pole mounting system requires the use of an intermediate member to mount the pole. Moreover, because the adapter frictionally engages the floor plug, removal is difficult, especially if other shaped members are used such as square.
The foregoing discussion shows there is a need for an improved ground sleeve for basketball systems that is capable of supporting even the most heavy duty of in-ground basketball systems in a substantially upright rigid and stable position without the risk of tipping, yet also can be readily removed even if the pole and the ground sleeve have seized due to exposure to the elements and/or corrosion. Moreover, a simple interconnection between the pole and ground that eliminates the need for intermediate connecting members also is needed.